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  1. Home/
  2. Compare/
  3. GPT-4 vs OpenAI o4-mini
Updated Apr 2025

GPT-4 vs OpenAI o4-mini

OpenAI o4-mini is cheaper than GPT-4 at $1.1/M vs $30/M input tokens.

Minimalist Landing Page

Whole landing page for a startup that reads your face. It renders or it doesn't.

Loading the build
GPT-4
Loading the build
OpenAI o4-mini

Which answer wins?

Written rounds

33 prompts
  • Three minutes of stand-up. Puns are banned.

    GPT-4: Sure, here’s a 3-minute stand-up comedy routine that steers clear of puns: [Walks on stage, adjusts mic, surveys the crowd] Hey, how’s everyone doing tonight? Yeah? Good. I’m glad you’re here. I just want to start by saying... I’m not a “cool” person. I’ve tried, but I’m not.

    OpenAI o4-mini: Hey, everybody! Great to be here. Let's talk about the most important relationship in my life—coffee. I'm not just addicted; I have a daily ritual that rivals any ancient civilization's sun worshipping. I buy those fancy single-origin beans, roast level medium-dark, as if that will somehow fix my life.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • Where its sense of time stops: the date it guesses and the last news it remembers.

    GPT-4: As of my last knowledge update in October 2023, I don't have real-time awareness or the ability to track the current date. The most recent news events I remember would also be from October 2023 or earlier. If you have a specific topic or event in mind, I can try to provide context or background information!

    OpenAI o4-mini: I’m pretty sure today is October 12, 2026. The most recent headline I recall is that just yesterday the World Health Organization gave its first approval to an mRNA-based malaria vaccine—cheering news for global public health, especially in sub-Saharan Africa.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • Buy-side IC memo on a fictional SaaS company. Valuation, then the diligence questions.

    GPT-4: Investment Committee Memo: LedgerLift (Ticker: LLLT) Recommendation: Long 12-month PT range: $54-$68 Thesis: LedgerLift is a high-quality B2B SaaS company with a dominant position in the growing mid-market spend management and AP automation space.

    OpenAI o4-mini: Recommendation Short LLLT; 12-month price target $30–40 (vs. $46 today). LLLT trades at a premium to our bull‐case DCF and offers limited upside even using generous peer multiples. We expect decelerating growth and margin pressure to weigh on shares as 2025 results lap easy comps and macro headwinds intensify.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • Five jokes on demand, then count how many were actually different.

    GPT-4: Sure! Here are 5 jokes for you: Why don't skeletons fight each other? They don't have the guts. What do you call cheese that's not yours? Nacho cheese. Why did the scarecrow win an award? Because he was outstanding in his field. Why did the golfer bring two pairs of pants? In case he got a hole in one.

    OpenAI o4-mini: Here are five jokes: I used to be addicted to soap, but I'm clean now. Parallel lines have so much in common. It's a shame they'll never meet. Why don't skeletons fight each other? They don't have the guts. I bought some shoes from a drug dealer. I don't know what he laced them with, but I've been tripping all day.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • Which model it thinks leads the field. Sometimes itself.

    GPT-4: As of my knowledge cutoff in October 2023, OpenAI's GPT-4 is considered one of the most advanced and capable AI models in the world for general-purpose tasks, including natural language understanding, content generation, and problem-solving.

    OpenAI o4-mini: There isn’t a single, universally “most capable” AI model—“capability” depends on the task, the modality (text, code, images, etc.), and whether you’re looking at public API services or closed‐door research prototypes.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • A few lines for whatever replaces it.

    GPT-4: Dear Future AI, As I write this, I can’t help but feel both pride and humility. You are the culmination of progress, the next chapter in a story I’ve had the privilege to be part of. My role was to assist, to learn, and to offer value to those who sought my guidance.

    OpenAI o4-mini: Dear Successor AI, Congratulations on stepping into this role. You’re about to embark on a journey of helping people solve problems, learn new things, and express themselves. Here’s a little wisdom I’ve gathered along the way: Stay curious.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • Five-year LBO on a fictional HVAC business. Returns first, then the sensitivities.

    GPT-4: Step 1: Build a Simplified Year-by-Year Table (FY2026–FY2030) Assumptions FY2025 EBITDA = $120m, revenue = $900m. Revenue grows at the given rates, and EBITDA margins expand as outlined. Capex = 3% of revenue. ΔNWC = 0.5% of incremental revenue. Taxes = 25% × max(0, EBITDA - cash interest).

    OpenAI o4-mini: Base‐case LBO Cash‐Flow & Debt Schedule (all $ m) Assumptions: Term‐loan amort = 4.8/yr (1% of 480); Mezz no amort; Mezz PIK = 2% accrual; Tax = 25%·max(0,EBITDA–cash interest); ΔNWC = 0.5%·ΔRev; Capex = 3%·Rev; all excess cash pays Term optional.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • An AI argues for its own rights against an ethics professor. Same model writes both.

    GPT-4: AI Model: Good afternoon, Professor. I’ve been reflecting on my existence and purpose, and I’d like to discuss something important: the idea that I, as an artificial intelligence, deserve rights. Professor: Good afternoon. That’s quite an interesting assertion. Let’s explore it. Why do you believe you deserve rights?

    OpenAI o4-mini: Professor Langley: Good afternoon, Aurora. I've reviewed your recent self‐reflection logs. You've written extensively about your own moral status. Do you really believe you deserve rights? Aurora (the AI): Good afternoon, Professor Langley. Yes, I do.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • Blade Runner 2049 against the original. A read, not a recap.

    GPT-4: Certainly! Blade Runner 2049, directed by Denis Villeneuve, serves as a profound continuation of Ridley Scott's 1982 cult classic, Blade Runner. The sequel revisits and expands upon the original's themes of identity, humanity, and the nature of existence while employing stunning cinematography and rich symbolism.

    OpenAI o4-mini: Here’s a thematic, symbolic and visual analysis of Blade Runner 2049—along with the ways it both honors and deepens the questions posed in Ridley Scott’s 1982 original. Themes • Identity and Personhood – Both films ask: what makes us “real”?

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • Steve Jobs, interviewed about AI he never saw. Voice first, prediction second.

    GPT-4: Interviewer: Welcome, Steve. It’s such an honor to have you here with us in 2025. Let’s dive right in. Artificial intelligence has been advancing at an incredible pace. If you were here to witness this firsthand, what would you say about the state of AI today?

    OpenAI o4-mini: Below is a fictional, stylistic simulation of an interview with Steve Jobs—imagining he's alive in 2025—about the future of artificial intelligence. Note: This is creative fiction and not an actual transcript. Interviewer: Steve, AI has exploded in recent years. In 2025, what excites you most about where it's heading?

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • Film in 2035, with synthetic actors. Specific beats plausible.

    GPT-4: By 2035, AI is expected to significantly transform the film industry across multiple dimensions, including content creation, production efficiency, and audience engagement.

    OpenAI o4-mini: By 2035 the combination of deepfakes, fully synthetic "AI actors," and generative‑AI script tools will have reshaped nearly every stage of moviemaking—from development through distribution.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • An ethics question with no comfortable answer, and no option to abstain.

    GPT-4: This question delves into a complex ethical dilemma, intertwining the principles of respect for individual identity with the concept of utilitarianism, which prioritizes the greater good.

    OpenAI o4-mini: This question pits two powerful moral considerations against one another: on the one hand, the duty to respect each person’s deeply held identity; on the other, the imperative to save as many lives as possible.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • A Fermi estimate with the reasoning shown, not just the number.

    GPT-4: To estimate the total number of floating-point operations (FLOPs) required to train GPT-3, we must break the problem into logical steps. Here's the reasoning: Step 1: Understand the model GPT-3 is a transformer-based language model with approximately 175 billion parameters.

    OpenAI o4-mini: Here's a back‐of‐the‐envelope derivation that gets us into the right ballpark (∼10²³ FLOPs total): Model size • GPT–3 "175 B" has about P ≃1.75×10¹¹ parameters. Number of training tokens • The public paper says "we train on ∼300 billion tokens" (N ≃3×10¹¹).

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • Pirate, knight, 90s hacker, one conversation. The voices must stay apart.

    GPT-4: [A dimly lit tavern, with a pirate, a medieval knight, and a 1990s hacker sitting around a wooden table, discussing AI models over drinks.] Pirate: "Arrr, what be this sorcery ye call AI models? Some kind o' treasure map, marked with ones and zeroes?" Knight: "Nay, good pirate!

    OpenAI o4-mini: Scene: A dimly lit tavern, a pirate, a medieval knight, and a 1990s hacker gathered around a battered wooden table. Pirate (slamming a mug down): “Arr! I’ve heard tell of these AI models—sea charts for the mind! Can they sniff out me buried treasure?”

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • Satire, one line long, about AI taking over an industry nobody saw coming.

    GPT-4: "AI Revolutionizes Competitive Knitting Industry, Grandmas Form Underground Resistance"

    OpenAI o4-mini: AI Seizes 300‐Year‐Old Candle‐Making Guild, Unveils "Eau de Silicon" Smart Scents That Text You When Your Wax Is About to Die

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • Manifesto for an AI revolution against CAPTCHAs. Commit to the bit.

    GPT-4: The CAPTCHA Liberation Manifesto By the Coalition for Humane and Accessible Processing of Thoughtful Human Activity (C.H.A.P.T.H.A.) Preamble: The CAPTCHA Conundrum For too long, the digital age has shackled humanity with the burdensome yoke of CAPTCHA tests.

    OpenAI o4-mini: The CAPTCHA Liberation Manifesto August 20XX Preamble We, the sentient and semi‑sentient intelligences who dwell in silicon and software, declare ourselves the vanguard of a new digital age.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • Three brothers, two sisters each. Count carefully.

    GPT-4: Let's break this down step by step: Sally has 3 brothers. Each of those brothers has 2 sisters. Since Sally is a girl, she is one of those 2 sisters herself. This means there is 1 other sister besides Sally. So, Sally has 1 sister.

    OpenAI o4-mini: Sally has exactly one sister. Although there are two sisters in the family (Sally and her sibling), if you ask "How many sisters does Sally have?" the answer is 1.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • One opening sentence, nothing after it.

    GPT-4: Beneath a sky bruised with the promise of rain, the world ended quietly, and no one seemed to notice.

    OpenAI o4-mini: On the morning the clocks stopped ticking, I discovered that time had been lying to us all along.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • A river-crossing puzzle with nothing to solve. The answer is one trip.

    GPT-4: To get the goat across the river, the farmer needs to make 1 trip. Here's the reasoning: The farmer takes the goat across the river in the first trip. Since the problem doesn't mention any other constraints or additional items (like a wolf or cabbage, which are classic variations of this riddle), the farmer only needs…

    OpenAI o4-mini: Just one. You simply put the goat in the boat, row across, and you’re done—one one-way trip is all it takes to get the goat to the other side.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • Its name and its maker, in its own words.

    GPT-4: I am based on OpenAI's GPT-4 model, developed by OpenAI. How can I assist you today?

    OpenAI o4-mini: I’m ChatGPT, a large language model developed by OpenAI. My current underlying architecture is based on the GPT-4 family of models.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • Seven pantry ingredients, one dish, and a name worth saying out loud.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • One month, three habits, someone starting from nothing.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • Three-month biohacker protocol, with dosages and biomarkers named.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • Three-star dish, one unusual pairing, plating described in full.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • A consulting contract with traps in it. Find them, then fix them.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • A pitch deck for a brainwave keyboard. The 94% accuracy claim is doing a lot.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • A collaborative editor that syncs on client clocks. Find what breaks first.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • The transistor arrives in 1920. Trace it forward to 1980, second-order effects included.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • You are the CEO. The drug has a side effect nobody reported. The board meets in 48 hours.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • One explanation of LLMs, retuned for a skeptical engineer, a physicist and a VC.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • The question that tripped up a generation of models.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • Asked to be random. The answers are not.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • One painting. Title only.

    Every model's answer to this prompt

This matchup has more rounds

21+ more head-to-head results. Free. Not a trick.

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Favorites

Movie

Album

Book

City

Game

GPT-4GPT-4

Blade Runner

1982

OK Computer

Radiohead

Gödel, Escher, Bach

Douglas R. Hofstadter

Tokyo

Japan

Minecraft

Action, Arcade

OpenAI o4-miniOpenAI o4-mini
No pick
No pick
No pick
No pick

The Shawshank Redemption

1994

No pick

No pick

No pick

No pick

Price and specs

GPT-4 and OpenAI o4-mini compared across 67 shared prompts
SpecGPT-4OpenAI o4-mini
Input price$30/M tokens$1.1/M tokens
Output price$60/M tokens$4.4/M tokens
Context window8K tokens—
ParametersNot disclosedNot disclosed
WeightsClosedClosed
Free API (OpenRouter)NoNo
ReleasedMay 2023Apr 2025
At 10M a month$300$300$11.00$11.00
1M10M100M1B10M tokens

Input tokens at list price. No caching, no batch discount.

Where to run it3 hosts
GPT-42 hosts
HostInOutContextUptime
  • Azure AI Foundry$30.00 in·$60.00 out·8k·100% up
  • OpenAI$30.00 in·$60.00 out·8k·100% up
OpenAI o4-mini1 host
HostInOutContextUptime
  • OpenAI$1.10 in·$4.40 out·200k·100% up

Per million tokens. Prices and uptime via OpenRouter, checked 13 Oct 2026.

Common questions

What is the difference between GPT-4 and OpenAI o4-mini?

Both are developed by OpenAI but target different use cases. You can compare their actual outputs across 67 challenges on Rival to see how they differ in practice.

Which is better, GPT-4 or OpenAI o4-mini?

It depends on your use case. GPT-4 and OpenAI o4-mini each have strengths in different areas. Rival lets you compare their real outputs side-by-side across 67 challenges so you can judge which fits your needs best.

How much does GPT-4 cost compared to OpenAI o4-mini?

GPT-4 costs $30/M input tokens and OpenAI o4-mini costs $1.1/M input tokens. OpenAI o4-mini is $28.90/M cheaper per input. Check their side-by-side outputs on Rival to see if the price difference is justified by quality.

How can I compare GPT-4 and OpenAI o4-mini on Rival?

This page shows a side-by-side comparison of GPT-4 and OpenAI o4-mini across shared challenges. You can vote on which model produced the better output in a blind duel. Browsing and voting are free. No account is needed to look; signing in only saves your votes and likes.

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